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Saturday, July 28, 2012

I just realized that I never had "Giveaway" in the title of my As Always, Jack, TLC Book Tours Review. I wanted to make sure everyone knew that I had one copy of this good book available as a giveaway. All you need to do is complete the rafflecopter form below.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Synopsis: In the days just after the end of World War Two, a young Texas Navy pilot named Jack Sweeney falls crazy in love with a California girl just before he is shipped off to the Pacific with his squadron. He woos her with letters and makes away with her heart. He returns safely; he marries her.

Over thirty years later, a young woman returns to her childhood home in California for her mother’s funeral. Before leaving the house for the last time, without knowing what she’s looking for, she opens a dresser drawer in her mother’s room. Towards the very back of the drawer she discovers a packet of old letters tied up with a pink ribbon. In these letters she meets the man she has forever longed to know and love, the man her mother rarely spoke of during all the years of her childhood. In these letters she meets her father, Jack Sweeney, for the first time.

As Always, Jack is in part the bittersweet story of a daughter’s search for her father, an account of her struggle to unlock the mystery of his disappearance on the eve of her birth. Preserved in this story, however, is another, more universal one: the sweet and classic tale of true love in a time of war.

My Review: I like to read love stories that take place in the past, as well as stories that are told through letters/emails. As Always, Jack is a great love story that is told through letters during WWII. Emma Sweeney (author) never knew her father as he died when his plane went down near the Bermuda Triangle. Here mother was pregnant with her at that time.

When her mother passed away, she found a bundle of letters her father wrote to her mother during WWII. The letters are what makes up most of As Always, Jack. They are written from the heart, but with a sense of humor too. I really think my favorite part was the last 20 pages. Emma opens up about what she did and knowledge she obtained after finding the letters. She seemed to find peace and closure that she never had. For me, the last 20 pages wrapped the whole book up and made it a great read.

If you are looking for a quick read, love/war story, memoir, and a great read - pick up As Always, Jack. You will not be disappointed.

Meet the Author: Emma Sweeney is the author of several gardening books as well as a literary agent based in New York. She formed her own agency in 2006 and has had five New York Times bestsellers, including the #1 New York Times best seller, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. She is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and the Women’s Media Group, where she served as its president in 2003. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA in English Literature. She divides her time between New York City and Rhinebeck, New York.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Synopsis: When other little girls were dreaming about becoming doctors or lawyers, Alex Garrett set her sights on conquering the high-powered world of Wall Street. And though she's prepared to fight her way into an elitist boys' club, or duck the occasional errant football, she quickly realizes she's in over her head when she's relegated to a kiddie-size folding chair with her new moniker—Girlie—inscribed in Wite-Out across the back.

No matter. She's determined to make it in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street's most esteemed brokerage firms. Keeping her eyes on the prize, the low Girlie on the totem pole will endure whatever comes her way—whether trekking to the Bronx for a $1,000 wheel of Parmesan cheese; discovering a secretary's secret Friday night slumber/dance party in the conference room; fielding a constant barrage of "friendly" practical jokes; learning the ropes from Chick, her unpredictable, slightly scary, loyalty-demanding boss; babysitting a colleague while he consumes the contents of a vending machine on a $28,000 bet; or eluding the advances of a corporate stalker who's also one of the firm's biggest clients.

Ignoring her friends' pleas to quit, Alex excels (while learning how to roll with the punches and laugh at herself) and soon advances from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate. Suddenly, she's addressed by her real name, and the impenetrable boys' club has transformed into forty older brothers and one possible boyfriend. Then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is forced to choose between sticking with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster or kicking off her Jimmy Choos and running for higher ground.

Fast-paced, funny, and thoroughly addictive, Bond Girl will leave you cheering for Alex: a feisty, ambitious woman with the spirit to stand up to the best (and worst) of the boys on the Street—and ultimately rise above them all.

My Review: I couldn't get enough of Bond Girl! I wanted to read this when it came out earlier in hard cover and for some reason never did. I absolutely loved Alex and her co-workers at Cromwell. Bond Girl is a very easy, quick and funny read. Because I just had to keep reading one more page...one more page...my family would yell at me, as they were all waiting for me to join them. I couldn't put Bond Girl down and didn't want it to end.

Alex has always wanted to work on Wall Street and she lands her dream job upon graduating from college. We get to experience Alex's first few years of Wall Street at Cromwell right by her side. The "guys" all call her "Girlie" and she doesn't even have her own desk. She has to move around the floor with her fold up chair as she learns "the trade." The after work events/parties/get togethers are all pretty fun, except when the creepy Rick hits on her! Let's not forget Will...no spoiler alert...I had a feeling and I was right.

I also happened to be in NYC for a few days on vacation (that is why my family was waiting for me to join them) while I read Bond Girl, which made it even that more fun! I love books that take place in NYC. If you haven't read Bond Girl, I recommend you pick it up today. Bond Girl is great chick lit with a different type of story. I thought it was a mix of Working Girl (movie in the 80s) and Bridget Jones. I know people have mentioned it is similar to Devil Wears Prada, but I don't think that is exactly it. I hope Erin is writing (or already has!!) another novel that will be published soon. I, for sure, would pick it up as soon as it was published. I am so glad I have another new author to read!

Meet the Author: Erin Duffy graduated from Georgetown University in 2000 with a B.A. in English and went on to spend ten-plus years in fixed-income sales on Wall Street. Bond Girl is her first novel. She lives in New York City.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Synopsis: Alan Christoffersen, a once-successful advertising executive, wakes one morning to find himself injured, alone, and confined to a hospital bed in Spokane, Washington. Sixteen days earlier, reeling from the sudden loss of his wife, his home, and his business, Alan left everything he knew behind and set off on an extraordinary cross-country journey. Carrying only a backpack, he planned to walk to Key West, the farthest destination on his map. But a vicious roadside stabbing has interrupted Alan’s trek and robbed him of his one source of solace: the ability to walk.

Homeless and facing months of difficult recovery, Alan has nowhere to turn—until a mysterious woman enters his life and invites him into her home. Generous and kind, Angel seems almost too good to be true, but all is not as it appears. Alan soon realizes that before he can return to his own journey, he must first help Angel with hers.From one of America’s most beloved and bestselling storytellers comes an astonishing tale of life and death, love and second chances, and why sometimes the best way to heal your own suffering is by helping to heal someone else’s.Inspiring, moving, and full of wisdom, Miles to Go picks up where the bestseller The Walk left off, continuing the unforgettable series about one man’s unrelenting search for hope.

My Review: Like all of Richard Paul Evans' book, Miles to Go is a good, wholesome story. It is full of wisdom and great messages for all of us to ponder. Miles to Go is the second book in the Alan Christoffersen/Walk series. I enjoyed the first book in the series more than I did this one, but Miles to Go was still a good read. I loved the whole story line with Angel/Nicole. It made the book! I can't wait to read the third book in the series, The Road to Grace.

I have had the pleasure of attending different book signings of Richard Paul Evans when I lived in Ohio. He is a very genuine person who I think believes there is good in everyone. He has done some amazingly good things with his fame and fortune.

Meet the Author: Richard Paul Evans is the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box. His novels have each appeared on the New York Times bestseller list; there are more than 13 million copies of his books in print. His books have been translated into more than twenty-two languages and several have been international bestsellers. He is the winner of the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards for his children’s books, the 2010 German Leserpreis Gold Award for Romance, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. Evans received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award for his work helping abused children. Evans lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children.

Purchase It: You can purchase Miles to Go from Amazon for $7.99 (paperback, prime members and kindle version).

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Synopsis: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman. On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by.

Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist.

Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth? As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

My Review: As I get older (and maybe wishing I could go back to my prime years), I am drawn more and more to books that reflect back on the 80's (even if I want to forget the hairstyles back then!). Thank You For Flying Air Zoe, took me right back down memory lane. Since I loved everything about Thank You For Flying Air Zoe, I will write my review on the four main characters.

I couldn't get enough of Zoe, Lauren, Ginger and Melinda. As Zoe tries to figure out her life, I couldn't help but laugh so hard. Zoe leaves her job as a sales person for organic butter, sells all her belongs, dumps her boyfriend (a great guy), turns down the latest teen heart throb, sleeps in a tree, becomes a nanny, and so much more, so she can find herself. Zoe's BFF, Lauren, since elementary school, has always been her rock and seems to be the most level head of her friends. When Zoe finds out that Lauren has been a closet guitarist (well storage facility, not closet!), she is determined to get their high school garage band back together. Zoe has unfinished business to take care, which includes playing at Whiskey GoGo.

Ginger, Lauren's sister and bass player, is married to an extremely wealthy man and has two "wild" kids! She is able to buy the band whatever they are in a pinch. Oh boy, does Ginger come through just when they all need her most! Besides being a filthy rich, high society wife, she is too funny. For example, when they walk back into the high school....

Ginger is constantly using her words wrong and Lauren (Lo) is always correcting her. The back and forth is too much! I couldn't stop laughing. Again, at the high school....

"And not just any set of lockers, but our lockers from 1987.“Here we go,” I say, as I begin working a combination lock
that's embedded in a locker door. “32... 7... and 23.”I pull the latch, and the locker door opens.“You still remember your locker combination?” Lo asks, as I
turn the dial on the next locker.“39... 3... 29.” I open the locker that used to belong to Lo.
“Yup,” I say. “I remember yours, too.”“You're a freak.”“36... 24... 34.” I say, and Ginger's old locker pops open.Lo shakes her head. “Figures that would be your combination,”she says to Ginger.Ginger can only smile. “I guess I was blessed,” she says. "

Melinda moved to the LA area as a freshman in high school and become the bands singer. She is a bonafide hippie (planetary crusader!). When she is attacked by a Northern Goshawk (who she is protesting for birds' rights) and falls out the tree, I thought I wasn't going to stop laughing. There are so many funny scenes with Mel.

As the story unfolded, it continued to just get funnier. I would have loved to have had friends like these four. It is a FANTASTIC book, chick lit at its BEST! The most disappointing thing with Thank You For Flying Air Zoe is that it ended. Just like your favorite TV series, movie, book....you just don't want it to end. Speaking of movies, Thank You For Flying Air Zoe would be a hilarious movie.

Thank You For Flying Air Zoe is a MUST read type of book. I can't wait for Erik Atwell's next book. I hope he is writing fast!

Meet the Author:Erik Atwell started his writing career in grammar school, where a one page history class assignment ballooned into a forty page fictional account of a politically controversial silversmith in Boston circa 1776. Daring to follow up such an auspicious debut, he later graduated to short stories while living in New Hampshire, screenplays upon moving to Los Angeles, then finally novels when he ultimately landed in Seattle.

He is currently gearing up to escape city life and return home to New Hampshire with his rock-star wife and eight month-old son, whose only musical claim to fame thus far is sleeping through an entire Go-Go’s concert. But in his defense, he was three weeks old, and the stage was a quarter-mile away. Thank You For Flying Air Zoe is his first novel, and he hopes to write a second novel before the little guy is old enough to read it.

And yes, he was once in a band. For twelve minutes.

It wasn’t pretty.

GIVEAWAY: I am so excited! Erik has offered to give one lucky person a Kindle version of Thank You For Flying Air Zoe! All you need to do is leave a comment to this post (below) letting us know what your favorite 80's song is! Giveaway ends July 17th, midnight EST. Good luck!

Purchase It: You can purchase Thank You For Flying Air Zoe at Amazon for $12.95 ($11.01 Prime members and $2.99 Kindle version).

Monday, July 9, 2012

Synopsis: An inability to focus, impulsiveness, misbehavior, frequent daydreaming, and a predisposal to addiction are frequently referenced traits of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But what about the gifts of ADHD? In Movers, Dreamers, and Risk Takers, Kevin Roberts, author of Cyber Junkie, takes a fresh approach to this much-written-about topic to help those with ADHD—their parents, teachers, and friends—to tap the hidden strengths and actual advantages inherent in the ADHD personality.

Those with ADHD have a predisposition to confronting the challenges of life and a deep preference for perceiving the world creatively. Roberts helps readers appreciate how the perceptual, interpersonal, and cognitive differences of “ADHDers” like these can be translated into unique skills and talents that can enhance their ability to be successful socially, academically, and in their careers.

Roberts combines the latest research with personal stories, as well as insights born from his work with those with ADHD. He shows readers how to get past the stigma of this condition to eventually turn what have been seen as “symptoms” into character strengths and creative ways to make life richer and more interesting for themselves and the people around them.

My Review: Movers, Dreamers and Risk-Takers: Unlocking the Power of ADHA, is a VERY informative book. If you are or know a someone who is ADHD this book is a MUST Read. My daughter was diagnosed with ADD with some ADHD tendencies this past year and Movers, Dreamers and Risk-Takers has help me understand things from her point of view. I think my most wide-eyed opener was what we say to such people. As I read through a list of things that are typically said to a person with ADHD I thought...."I say at least one of these phrases a day to my daughter." I had no idea how it was impacting her and not in a positive way. Another "OMG" moment for me was the entire section on lying. I have seen an enormous amount of lying in the past six months and now I understand why and how to handle it/the situation. My heart just breaks from how I have been handling things with my daughter. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to read Movers, Dreamers and Risk-Takers so I can change my reactions and help my daughter. Don't put off buying this book if you know someone with ADHD, you won't regret it. There is so much information in the book!

Meet the Author: Kevin Roberts was born in Detroit, Michigan, attended 12 years of Catholic school, and graduated from the University of Michigan. He has a Master's Degree in ADHD studies from Antioch University. As part of the coursework, he did extensive research on addiction. He taught high school and middle school social studies and foreign languages for four years. For the last 13 years, he has been an ADHD Coach and educational consultant, helping underachieving individuals succeed in school and life. In addition, he conducts support groups for teens and adults who struggle with cyber addiction.

Roberts is a nationally-recognized expert in cyber addictions and also lectures widely on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He regularly speaks at conferences, hospitals, clinics and medical schools. He speaks French, Spanish, and German in addition to some conversational capacity in Greek, Italian, Arabic, Quechua, Polish and Mandarin.

Purchase It: You can purchase Mover, Dreamers and Risk-Takers: Unlocking the Power of ADHD at Amazon for $14.95 ($11.18 for Prime Members and Kindle version for $8.69)

Synopsis: Rumspringa is the time when Amish teens are allowed to experience life without the rules. It’s an exciting time of personal discovery and growth before committing to the church. But when a young teen disappears without a trace, the carefree fun comes to an abrupt and sinister end, and fear spreads through the community like a contagion.

A missing child is a nightmare to all parents, and never more so than in the Amish community, where family ties run deep. When the search for the presumed runaway turns up a dead body, the case quickly becomes a murder investigation. And chief of Police Kate Burkholder knows that in order to solve this case she will have to call upon everything she has to give not only as a cop, but as a woman whose own Amish roots run deep.

Kate and state agent, John Tomasetti, delve into the lives of the missing teen and discover links to cold cases that may go back years. But will Kate piece together all the parts of this sinister puzzle in time to save the missing teen and the Amish community from a devastating fate? Or will she find herself locked in a fight to the death with a merciless killer?

My Review:Gone Missing is a fast passed, action thriller book that I think is a great read! In this gripping drama a family member is missing and Kate and John are called in to help find her. What they end up finding is several children are missing. Gone Missing emotionally stirred me and caused so much anxiety due to the missing children. I love how Kate and John bonded as the story unfolded.

I have not read the other books in the series Sworn to Silence, Pray for Silence, and Breaking Silence. Even though I felt I didn't miss anything, I do want to go back and read it. I believe Gone Missing stands on it own. Gone Missing is well written and keeps you wanting to turn page after page as you try to solve the case. Gone Missing is one great read!

Meet the Author: Linda Castillo lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Her first novel in the series, Sworn to Silence, was a New York Times bestseller.

Purchase It: You can purchase Gone Missing on Amazon for $24.99 ($11.49 Prime Member and $11.99 Kindle Version).

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Synopsis: It seems so idyllic. But something is out of place. In the neatly raked gravel parking area is a dazzlingly clean black Jeep. The paint of the Jeep reflects a clematis with large pure white blossoms climbing up a knotted old apple tree. Someone is lying under the low trunk and crooked branches of the tree. A young woman, a girl. . . .

Siri Bergman is a thirty-four-year-old psychologist who works in central Stockholm and lives alone in an isolated cottage out of the city. She has a troublesome secret in her past and has been trying to move on with her life. Terrified of the dark, she leaves all the lights on when she goes to bed—having a few glasses of wine each night to calm her nerves—but she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her through the blackened windows at night.
When the lifeless body of Sara Matteus—a young patient of Siri’s with a history of drug addiction and sexual abuse—is found floating in the water near the cottage, Siri can no longer deny that someone is out there, watching her and waiting.

When her beloved cat goes missing and she receives a photo of herself from a stalker, it becomes clear that Siri is next. Luckily, she can rely on Markus, the young policeman investigating Sara’s death; Vijay, an old friend and psychology professor; and Aina, her best friend. Together, they set about profiling Siri’s aspiring murderer, hoping to catch him before he kills again.

But as their investigation unfolds, Siri’s past and present start to merge and disintegrate so that virtually everyone in her inner circle becomes a potential suspect. With the suspense building toward a dramatic conclusion as surprising as it is horrifying, Siri is forced to relive and reexamine her anguished past, and finally to achieve some kind of peace.

My Review:If you like the Dragon Tattoo or Alex Cross series, you will really enjoy Some Kind of Peace.Some Kind of Peace is darker and more sinister than Dragon Tattoo with serious plot twists. Each chapter leads to a new twist as every new development in the case presents another suspect. I tried, but couldn't figure out the ending, and at one point questioned whether Stephan had really died. I keep turning pages as fast as I could since I was so engrossed in the gripping drama between the lead characters. Some Kind of Peace is a very intense book and one that I couldn't read if I was alone!Some Kind of Peace is one of those great books I recommend you read!

Meet the Authors:Camilla Grebe is an entrepreneur and a former publisher and CEO. She lives in Stockholm, Sweden.
Åsa TrÄff is a psychologist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy. She runs a private practice and lives in ÄlvsjÖ, Sweden. She and Camilla are sisters.

Purchase: You can pre-order Some Kind of Peace at Amazon for $24.00 ($13.70 Prime Members, $10.99 Kindle version). Some Kind of Peace is on sale July 10th.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Synopsis: For the past fourteen years, Eve Adams has worked part-time while raising her two children and emotionally supporting her sculptor husband, Eric, through his early fame and success. Now, at forty-two, she suddenly finds herself with a growing career of her own—a private nutritionist practice and a book deal—even as Eric’s career sinks deeper into the slump it slipped into a few years ago.

After a dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate Eve’s success, Eric drives the babysitter home and, simply, doesn’t come back. Eve must now shift the family in possibly irreparable ways, forcing her to realize that competence in one area of life doesn’t always keep things from unraveling in another.

Gone is an outstanding novel about change and about redefining, in middle age, everything from one’s marriage to one’s career to one’s role as a best friend, parent, and spouse. It is a novel about passion and forgiveness and knowing when to let something go and when to fight to hold on to it, about learning to say goodbye—but, if you’re lucky, not forever.

My Review: When I first read the synopsis of Gone, I thought I was going to be reading a "juicy" book about a husband who runs off with the babysitter one night. Gone was not that book at all. Gone does have a good story line and lots of interesting information along with it. You can really tell that the author, Cathi Hanauer, did a lot of research.

Gone revolves around the four main characters:

Eric driving away one night while taking the baby-sitter home, but it really gets into his depression and how he gets the help he needs.

Eve and her job as a nutritionist (which I found very informative) and how she is the type of person to always be in charge and help others. She finds herself in a position that she has no control over.

Magnolia (their daughter) becoming a typical teenage girl with all the struggles, including her best friend becoming the girlfriend of the boy she has always had a crush on. What could be harder for a fourteen year to handle along with her Dad leaving?

Danny (their son) dealing with abandonment issues since his father left.

The story of each one of them unfolds in a six week span and all comes together in the end. I believed Eve was a very strong women, but I wanted her to confront Eric and not ignore him and the fact that he left her. I felt she dealt with what she needed to do to provide for her kids and get through the day and didn't face the "real" issue of her husband leaving.

Meet the Author: Cathi Hanauer is the author of the novels My Sister's Bones and Sweet Ruin and the editor of the New York Times bestselling essay anthology The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth About Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood, and Marriage. Her articles, essays, and/or criticism have appeared in The New York Times, Elle, O, Glamour, Self, Parenting, Whole Living, and other magazines. She lives with her family in western Massachusetts.

Purchase It: You can purchase Gone on Amazon for $24.99 ($16.49 for Prime members and Kindle version for $11.99)